Vehicle pole or shaft.



PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

G. A. LAMBERT.

VEHICLE POLE 0R SHAFT.

APPLIUATION FILED MAB.. 5.1904.

@ttozneny Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. LAMBERT, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA.

VEHICLE POLE OR SHAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 788,653, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed March 5, 1904. Serial No. 196,665.

To all whom it may concern/.r

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Anderson, county of Madison, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Poles or Shafts, of which the following` is a full and clear specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehiclepole made according to my invention; Fig. 2, a view of the sheet-1netal blank from which said pole is constructed; Fig. 3, a de-l tail section showing the manner of connecting the pole to a circular bar; Fig. 4, a transverse section through the pole; Fig. 5, a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 7 Fig. 6, a transverse section of the pole, showing it constructed of two sheets of metal; Fig. 7, a transversesection of the pole, at the point where the doubletree is pivoted thereto, and Fig. 8 a horizontal section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3. Y

I am aware that various attempts have been made to construct poles and shafts of sheet metal. This is a great desideraturn in view of the fact that the proper sorts of Wood are becoming very scarce and expensive. The objections to the poles and shafts heretofore made of sheet metal are that either they are constructed of too many pieces or that they are weak and liable to become bent or broken under strain or that they are eX- pensive or practically impossible of manu-A 'acture.

It is the object of this invention to roduce a sheet-metal pole or shaft which wi be ex ceedinglylight in comparison withits strength and which may be readily constructed of one or more sheets of metal, as more fully hereinafter set forth. When constructed according to my invention, the pole or shaft will be hollow and have a circular or elli tical cross-section, with a central longitud?- nal internal web, and it may be readily tapered and curved to giveit the desired shape and artistic appearance required. A pole having this cross-section possesses the greatest strength in proportion to .its weight. I propose stamping or folding the blank by means of dies whose walls and working faces shall be properly curved and tapered to give the desired curve and taper to the finished pole or shaft. The web portion alone or the flanges alone, or both, may be tapered and curved as the exigencies of the case may require, and as this may be accomplished with but a few operations of the dies and bendingtools the production of the poles will be rendered apparently inexpensive after a die of the proper shape is once made.

In constructing the pole a blank of the proper width and curvature is first made.. Then this blank is folded on longitudinal lines, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the blank is folded upon these dotted lines, the portions l, 2, and 3 are brought toether to form the web, which runs the full ength of the pole and is preferably vertically arranged. These three thicknesses are fas- `tened together by the rivets a, which are disposed at suitable intervals along the web or by any other suitable means, the thicknesses being thereby brought closely together, so as to mutually sup ort and brace each other. The parts marked 4 when the blank is folded form the outer thicknesses of the top and bottom flanges, respectively, andthe portions marked 5 form the inner thicknesses of the flanges, the thicknesses of the flanges being brought closely together, so as to sup ort each other. After the blank is thus folded up and fastened the flanges are curled or bent toward each other to give the pole a substantially cylindrical shape. These flanges are preferably brought together so that their edges abut substantially throughout the length of the pole, thereby forming the eX- terior walls of the pole.

It will be observed that a feature of imtance lies in bringing the two edge portions 1 and 2 of the blank together upon the central portion thereof to form a three-ply web, thereby bringing the greatest strength where it is most needed.

To enable the pivotal bolt of the doubletree or whiffletree to be passed through the pole, the blank is provided with two holes b, which when the blank is foldedwill be brought, respectively, at the top and bottom sides of the pole. The parts of the web thicknesses that come opposite these holes are laterallyT bent, as at c, to form a continuous bolt-passage down through the pole. As shown in Figs. 5 and 7 bars of wood d may be fastened in the channels formed by the flanges to further strengthen the pole and to give it an artistic appearance. In view of the great strength imparted to the pole by the I formation these wood fillings need not be made of wood of the same strength as the wood now universally used for poles and shafts. Hence they will add but little to the expense of manufacture. In fact, not only may the cheaper grades of wood be used for these fillings, but they may also consist of cement or other material secured in the channels by bending the flanges more or less toward each other. Thus making the pole enables the brace-rods e, that connect the pole to the circle-bar, to be readily attached to the pole in a rigid and secure manner, since they may be riveted or bolted upon opposite sides of the web, as shown in Fig. l, the bent or curled flanges being left open at these points sufficiently to permit the rods to pass between them.

As will be observed from Fig. 2, the tapering formation is obtained by converging the fold-lines toward the ends of the blank, and it will be observed that in this way the web may be tapered alone or the flanges alone, or both, may be tapered. By thus giving the pole a substantially I shape in cross-section I am enabled to securely and in a very simple manner attach its rear end to the circle-barf, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 8. I accomplish this by simply terminating the web portion short of the ends of the flanges, so that the flanges shall project far enough beyond the web to lie, respectively, upon the upper and lower sides of the circle-bar, to which they may be secured by a bolt g, passing down through the projecting parts of the flanges and the intermediate circle-bar. I prefer constructing the circle-bar in the same manner as the pole-that is, of sheet metal folded longitudinally in such manner as to have an I shape in cross-section. When the circlebar is constructed in this manner, the web portion of the pole will be cut out, so as to extend into the channel and against the web part of the circle-bar, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. In this manner a very strong connection can be made; but to further brace the joint at this point I prefer employing a pair of angle-irons 7L, which, as shown in Fig. 8, are riveted to the webs of the pole and the circlebar. For the passage of the bolt g the circlebar is perforated and its web portions bent in the same manner as the pole is perforated and bent for the passage of the whiffletreebolt. As shown in Fig. 3, the channels of the circle-bar may be provided with suitable fillings t, if desired.

I have shown and described a pole, but it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to shafts and that the cross-bar of the shafts may be connected to the shafts in the same manner as the circlebar is connected to the pole.

` As shown in Fig. 6, the pole or shaft may be made of two sheets of metal, each of which is curved or tapered, so that its edge portions form the web, theedge portions of one sheet interlocking with and overlapping the similar parts of the other sheet, thereby making a four-ply web. This form might be more desirable than a single-sheet form in that it might be easier to stamp or fold and also because the web portion being composed of four thicknesses would be stronger than when composed of three thicknesses; but whether the pole be constructed of one or two pieces it will be observed that when the folded parts are brought closely together and fastened they mutually brace each other and give the pole an even greater strength than it would have were it constructed of a solid-rolled beam having an I cross-section. It will be observed, however, that it will be practically impossible to make a pole or shaft having the required taper and curvature of a solid rolled or forged piece. Hence the importance of my invention, which permits the pole or shaft to be given the desired shape and at the same time have the very desirable I shape in cross-section.

Instead of fastening the brace-rods e to the web of the pole, as shown, it is obvious that they may be bolted or riveted to the outside of the pole after the flanges are closed in, if it be found desirable to attach them in that manner.

While I have described this invention with particular reference to poles and shafts, it will be obvious that I am not limited in that respect, as it is obvious that the invention is applicable to other parts of the vehicles, such as neck-yokes, whifiietrees, &c.

I-Iaving thus described my invention,what I claim', and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with a hollow sheetmetal vehicle-pole having a central web running through it, brace-rods attached to said web and extending out through openings in the hollow walls of the pole, substantially as set forth.

2. A sheet-metal vehicle-pole having a central longitudinal web and hollow walls, and wood ilings lying against said web and IOO IIO

IIS

embraced and held in place by said hollow walls.

3. A vehicle pole or shaft constructed of sheet metal folded longitudinally on converging curved lines to form a connecting-web and lateral flanges.

4. A sheet-metal pole or shaft constructed of a single sheet folded longitudinally to form side flanges and a connecting-web, the lines of fold being curved and converged, so that the pole or shaft shall be correspondingly curved and tapered, said flanges being bent toward each other to give the pole a substantially cylindrical shape in cross-section.

5. A pole or shaft4 constructed of two sheets of metal folded longitudinally to form' side flanges and a connecting-web, the edge portions of the two sheets overlapping in the web and constituting the same, the folded parts being fastened together.

6. In combination with a sheet-metal vehicle-pole consisting of a multiple-ply web and flanges, the web terminating short of the rear ends of the flanges, and a bar inclosed between the projecting ends of said flanges, and means for attaching the bar to said flanges.

7. ln a joint for poles and shafts, the combination of two members constructed each of a central web and longitudinal top and bottom flanges, the top and bottom flanges of one of the members being extended beyond its web portion and embracing the other member, and means for fastening the two members together.

8. In combination, in a pole or shaft appliance, two members, each of which is constructed of a central web portion and longitudinal top and bottom flanges, its web and the flanges consisting of two or more plies or thicknesses of sheet metal, the top and bottom flanges of one of the members extending beyond its web portion and embracing the other member, a bolt passing down through the overlapped parts of the members, and angle-irons secured in the angles formed by the jointure of the two members.

9. In a joint for poles and shafts, the combination of two members constructed each of a central web and longitudinal top and bottom flanges, the top and bottom flanges of one of the members extending beyond its web portion and embracing the other member, and means for fastening the two members together, said means consisting of a pair of angle-irons secured in the angles formed by the jointure of the two members.

10. ln a joint for poles and shafts, the combination of two members constructed each of a central web and longitudinal top and bottom flanges, the end of the web of one member abutting against the web of the other member and the flanges of the two members being overlapped, and means for securing the two members together.

11. In a joint for poles and shafts, the combination of two members constructed each of a central web and longitudinal top and bottom flanges, the end of the web of one member abutting against the side of the web of the other member and the flanges of the two members overlapping, and angleirons secured to the respective web portions of the two members and lying in the angles formed by their jointure.

12. A hollow vehicle pole or shaft constructed of sheet metal folded longitudinally on a series of lines, two or more of the folds being brought together to form a multipleply web and the remaining folds forming the exterior walls of the pole, substantially as described.

13. A hollow vehicle pole or shaft constructed of sheet metal folded on longitudinal lines to form a 1nultiple-ply interior web and rounded exterior walls connected to the web at the upper and lower edges thereof.

14. A hollow vehicle pole or shaft constructed of sheet metal folded on longitudinal lines to form a central interior web and exterior walls, the walls being integral continuations of the web, for the urposes set forth.

15. A vehicle pole or s raft constructed of sheet metal folded to form a central web and integral top and bottom flanges, and fillings lying against the web and engaged and held in place by said flanges.

16. A hollow vehicle-pole constructed of folded sheet metal and consisting of a central web running longitudinally of the pole, and

integral side walls connected to the upper and lower edges of the web.

17. A'hollow vehicle-pole constructed of a single sheet of metal folded to form a central web running longitudinally of the pole and integral opposite side walls connected to the upper and lower edges of the web.

18. A hollow vehicle-pole constructed of sheet metal folded on longitudinal lines and consisting of a central nniltiple-ply web and integral sheet-metal walls connected to the upper and lower edges of the web.

19. A Vehicle-pole consisting of a central metallic web provided with top and bottom lateral flanges, and fillings lying against the web and embraced and held in placeI by said flanges.

20.V A hollow sheet-metal pole consisting of an interior brace or web ruiming longitudinally thereof and exterior sheet-metal side walls connected to the web or brace.

21. A hollow vehicle pole or shaft constructed of sheet metal folded on longitudinal lines, two or more of the folded parts being IOO brought together to form a. multiple-ply Web l illngs bearing against the opposite sides of 1o and the remaining folds being brought together to form top and bottom lateral flanges, said flanges being bent toward each other so as to abut and thereby Jform the side Walls of the pole or shaft.

22. A hollow sheet-metal structure having a central Web and opposite side Walls oonstruoted of oontinuations of said Web, and

said Web and held in place by said side Walls. In testimony whereof I hereunto aHiX my signature, vin the presence of tWo Witnesses, this 27th day of February, 1904.

GEORGE A. LAMBERT. Witnesses:V

IDA KIRK, GLAD. S. KING. 

